Modems are typically used as a means for inexpensive data communications. A modem is referred to herein as a device to connect two hosts through a data link. Modems typically convert signals produced by one type of device, e.g., a computer, to a form compatible with another device, e.g., a telephone. Many applications use modems connected to a telephone line accessible through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to pass data to an application controller, typically a central management server. PSTN refers to the international public telephone system that carries analog voice and data signals. The term modem stands for mo(dulator)-dem(odulator) since a stream of digital data or binary bits (0's and 1's) is modulated for transmission into an analog signal within the bandwidth of the PSTN and the received analog signal is demodulated back to digital data.
Applications providing communication between different types of networks typically include a gateway device for bridging the networks. For example, one network may comprise a local wireless linked network having one or more wireless modems and the other network comprises a wired telephone line link network having one or more wired modems. FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary prior art system 10 for applications having wired modems and wireless modem devices for data communications. System 10 includes a microprocessor-based remote application micro-controller 12a for providing system control for a corresponding node 14a in system 10. An identical remote application micro-controller 12b is shown for a node 14b. The remote application micro-controllers 12a, 12b are also referred to herein as micro-controllers or “remote app” micro-controllers as shown in FIG. 1. System 10 includes a requesting application controller 30 which typically is a server that originates data requests to the rest of the system.
Each remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b typically includes a microprocessor, random access memory, non-volatile memory, and input and output signal interfaces (not shown). The remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b provide control based on an application program loaded therein through a loading means (not shown). The application program for each remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b is typically loaded as firmware stored in the non-volatile memory of the system, but is not limited to this form.
As shown in the system in FIG. 1, each micro-controller 12a, 12b interfaces with a corresponding wireless device 20a, 20b via a data interface bus which is typically a serial port 26a, 26b. Each wireless device 20a, 20b has a pre-determined protocol to enable communication with its corresponding remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b. The protocol may be a defined command set and syntax for every command, or through addressable register settings of each remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b. Each remote application micro-controller 12a, 12b can be programmed to provide management and control via a corresponding I/O interface with other devices or sensors (not shown).
When data communication is required which is event driven or pre-scheduled, the micro-controller 12a, 12b typically issues commands to its connected wireless device to initiate a communication session with another wireless device. For applications using a wireless device for data communication, the controller 12a, 12b executes its stored application program for managing all necessary functions and for preparing reports to be forwarded to the higher level requesting application controller 30.
The application controller 30 interfaces with a wired modem 28b via a data interface bus which is typically a serial port 26e, as seen in FIG. 1. The wired modem 28b is not limited to a modem; any suitable wired device may be used. As seen in FIG. 1, the wired modem 28b is coupled to nodes 14a and 14b for communication via gateway 2. Gateway 2 comprises a wireless modem 20c, a wired modem 28a, a wired to wireless gateway controller 24, and serial ports 26c, 26d. The wireless modems 20a, 20b communicate with a wireless modem 20c via a wireless link 16a, 16b using a corresponding antenna 22a, 22b, 22c. The gateway controller 24 connects to wireless modem 20c and wired modem 28a via corresponding serial ports 26c, 26d. The gateway controller 24 provides a bridge between the wireless modem 20c and the wired modem 28a. The wireless modem 20c communicates to the wired modem 28a which in turn communicates via the PSTN to another wired modem 28b. 
The gateway controller 24 is typically implemented using a standalone processor for managing the two different data communication devices, i.e., the wireless modem and the wired modem. The standalone processor runs a program to manage the communication between the wired and wireless links. Gateway controller 24 enables data from a wireless linked device 20a, 20b to be passed to a remote application controller 30 through the telephone network, i.e., PSTN. Alternatively, gateway controller 24 enables data from telephone line linked equipment, i.e. wired modems 28a, 28b to be passed to the wireless networked devices 20a, 20b, 20c. 
The standalone processor includes two serial ports for managing the two different serial ports linked devices. A program running in the processor in gateway controller 24 typically passes modem “AT” commands to the two devices for initializing the devices and to prepare each device to accept communication from either side. The modem “AT” command, also known as “the AT command set” for modems is a set of predefined commands initially developed by the Hayes Micro Computer Company in the mid 1980's to control their proprietary modem equipment used for connecting data terminals to host computing devices over the public telephone network. The AT command set is now the industry standard adopted by most modem manufacturers for controlling modems and serial data transmission over telephone lines. The AT command set has a string of characters for each command, preceded by the prefix “AT”, for sending instructions to the modem. The original AT Command set has been augmented many times as modem speeds and feature sets have increased. Special commands have been added by many vendors to control new features of their wired and wireless communication products.
The gateway controller 24 enables the wired modem 28a and wireless modem 20c to exchange data through the gateway if both modems are enabled to connection through the gateway controller 24 to their counterpart modem. A drawback of the system shown in FIG. 1 is that a separate gateway controller is needed to provide bridging between the wired and wireless network devices.
A need exists to reduce cost and device size by eliminating the separate gateway controller for bridging of two communication networks. A system, method, and apparatus are therefore needed which solves the above described drawbacks of the prior art.